DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) will donate half of all sales from its Florida restaurants on Monday, Sept. 25 to the United Way Irma Recovery Fund. The fund will help local United Ways meet the storm-related needs and support mid- to long-term recovery throughout the affected regions.
“As storms continue to greatly affect our employees and customers in states across the country, we want to do what we can to help those impacted,” said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and CEO at Chipotle. “We are committed to taking care of our customers and our communities, and not just when times are easy. Throughout the past several weeks, we were able to feed volunteers, work with our local suppliers to donate food and ensure our employees are compensated even when restaurants are closed.”
“United Way is grateful for the generosity of Chipotle and their customers,” said Mary Sellers, U.S. president, United Way Worldwide. “The past few weeks have been extremely challenging for the Irma affected areas that we serve in Florida, as the storm damage and resulting needs are assessed. Witnessing organizations like Chipotle support their communities proves that we will always find a path forward when we work together. It is an honor to serve our United Way Florida communities with the generous support of Chipotle.”
To contribute, residents can simply visit any Chipotle in Florida at any time from open to close (10:45 am to 10:00 pm) on Monday, Sept. 25 and half of all of the food and beverage sales will be donated to the United Way. Digital, catering and takeout orders placed for that day, in addition to any orders placed in the restaurant, are also included in this fundraiser.
In addition to the fundraiser scheduled in the more than 140 Florida restaurants, Chipotle has been an active partner to the United Way and other organizations supporting hurricane recovery efforts in Texas, Florida and surrounding areas. On September 10, Chipotle and the United Way teamed up for a region-wide fundraiser, resulting in a donation of nearly $400,000 from Chipotle.
Additional fundraisers for organizations such as Austin Pets Alive! which will have ramped up efforts to support displaced pets during the hurricane, are scheduled for later this month.
In the week Hurricane Harvey hit, Chipotle also donated more than 50,000 pounds of food and supplies, which was distributed to those in need at the Houston Convention Center, Children’s Medical Hospital and Food Bank of San Antonio. Chipotle also made a cash donation to the Red Cross for immediate emergency efforts. During both hurricanes, Chipotle has also paid all employees for any time missed while restaurants were closed due to these natural disasters.
About United Way
United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. Supported by 2.8 million volunteers, 9.8 million donors worldwide, and more than $4.7 billion raised every year, United Way is the world’s largest privately-funded nonprofit. We’re engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide to create sustainable solutions to the challenges facing our communities. United Way partners include global, national and local businesses, nonprofits, government, civic and faith-based organizations, along with educators, labor leaders, health providers, senior citizens, students and more. For more information about United Way, please visit UnitedWay.org. Read our Annual Report. Follow us on Twitter: @UnitedWay and #LiveUnited.
About Chipotle
Steve Ells, Founder, Chairman and CEO, started Chipotle with the idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast food experience. Today, Chipotle continues to offer a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking methods and served in an interactive style allowing people to get exactly what they want. Chipotle seeks out extraordinary ingredients that are not only fresh, but that are raised responsibly, with respect for the animals, land, and people who produce them. Chipotle prepares its food using real, whole ingredients, and is the only national restaurant brand that prepares its food using no added colors, flavors or other industrial additives typically found in fast food. Chipotle opened with a single restaurant in Denver in 1993 and now operates more than 2,300 restaurants. For more information, visit Chipotle.com.
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